Patience is a Virtue
by Ami of Resplendence
Summary: GaaraXOC A lame party, 12 minutes in hell, but love still prevails. Please Rate and Review!


A/N: I wrote this one-shot while on my down time during my clinical rotation in Labor and Delivery. Review please? (: And maybe you guys can suggest some title ideas.

~Story Start~

This party is so lame. I looked around grudgingly; Sakura had forced me to come to her party. She invited EVERYONE to celebrate our "friendships." Hell, even Sasuke showed up, although he wasn't too happy about it. The doorbell rang and broke through my thoughts.

"[insert your name here]! Can you get the door please?" Sakura yelled from the kitchen.

"Hmph," was my only response as I walked over and opened the door.

My heart immediately skipped a beat when I saw who it was: The Kazekage, Gaara of the Desert. The last time I had seen him was when he had been battling Sasuke at the Chuunin Exams; and at that time he had been considerably shorter than me…and had a more evil look in his eyes.

Now at seventeen, his eyes had grown considerably softer and kinder; he was a lot taller…and cuter.

"Hey [insert your name here]! It's been forever huh?!" Temari came inside and hugged me.

Kankuro and Gaara floated past us and closed the door behind them. Temari linked arms with me and talked my ear off for at least 2 hours. Not that I wasn't happy to see her or anything, I wanted to have some time to get a few words in too.

I stole some glances here and there at Gaara. I had always had a soft spot for him. I thought that when he'd left that I would have moved on. Apparently I thought wrong.

"Hey… [insert your name here]…we should…you know': Kankuro slurred and tripped over himself. Clearly he was drunk.

"Um…no thank you…" I answered stoutly and moved away from him.

"Kankuro! Stop embarrassing yourself," Temari scolded him.

"ALRIGHT GUYS!" Sakura yelled at the top of her lungs. "Time for a game."

A groan swept through everyone except Naruto.

"Yes! I'm gonna win! Believe it!" his signature phrase that we all knew too well.

"You guys, come on! I planned this party so we could enjoy and have fun for once and forget responsibilities" she stated while pouting slightly. "We haven't seen each other in years. Lighten up!"

"Kinda hard to lighten up when we're here with a traitor," I shot Sasuke a death glare.

Some nodded in agreement with me.

"Shut it! We are playing a game and THAT. IS. FINAL!" she yelled, then turned all sweet and nice. "The game is 12 minutes in heaven…or hell."

'Oh shit…' I thought to myself.

"Alright girls! Put something of yours in the bag," Ino instructed. "And boys, follow Sakura to the kitchen."

I pulled off my scrunchie that was holding my hair up; it was old and falling apart. By Sakura's persuasion, I wore a strapless black dress and black flats. My dark wavy hair fell down my back and came to a stop a few inches short of my waist.

"Oh-em-gee [insert your name here]; your hair is so long!" Temari exclaimed. "I only ever remember you in a ponytail!"

I shrugged. The game started and slowly the number of girls began to dwindle down. A while later, only Hinata and I were left.

"Hinata! You're next!" Sakura popped in and said.

"W-w-wish me luck [Insert your name here]," She stuttered faintly.

I sighed after she left, sat back and waited. Eventually Sakura came back and called me. I walked back to the living room and saw everyone sitting and watching in silence.

"What?" I asked stupidly.

"He's already inside," Sakura pointed to the closet.

I looked at everyone; they looked like they were at a funeral. I scanned the crowd and noticed one face that was not there. My muscles immediately tensed up and my respiratory rate increased. But too late, the closet door shut behind me. I tried to tell myself to slow down and breathe.

"It's been awhile [insert your name here]," I heard a soft and familiar voice.

I jumped out of my shoes…literally, and just as quickly I shoved them back on. I felt my way to the wall so I could sit down.

"Hi Gaara…" I murmured.

My heart thumped loudly. I felt around the closet some more and found a wall and slid down to the floor. My heads slid over something small and smooth: a lighter!

I immediately flicked it and a flame appeared. I looked around in the dim light and saw Gaara across from me, just standing there, his green eyes staring straight at me.

I quickly looked away. I never knew why I was so attracted to Gaara, I just was. In the four years I knew Temari, Gaara and I exchanged almost 20 words only, mostly hi and hello.

"Wanna sit here?" I asked, and then quickly shut my mouth. Why was I so afraid? I no reason to be…

I guess the only reason I was afraid of Gaara was rejection. Maybe it was time to tell him once and for all how I really felt about him.

I looked back up and noticed Gaara sitting down next to me, our shoulders touching. I felt an electric shock pass between us.

"Ouch!" me and him both exclaimed simultaneously. "Sorryy."

We just looked at each other and burst out laughing and kept laughing for no reason. I had never seen Gaara smile before, let alone laugh. I smiled and watched him laugh some more; it was a beautiful sight and noise.

Gaara stopped suddenly and stared at me, and I stared right back.

"Gaara—" I was cut off.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked quietly.

"I—what?" I asked confused.

"Are you afraid of me? Like the rest of them?" he motioned to the door, a hint of sadness now evident in his voice.

"No, I'm not afraid of you per say," I spoke slowly, completely unsure of myself.

In my entire life I had been rejected: my parents after the death of my sister, Sakura and Ino for Sasuke, and my older brother in search of his self. No way I am about to confess my feelings to the Kazekage…If he doesn't feel the same, I think my emotions will just shut down.

"Then what are you afraid of?" Gaara asked me curiously.

The battle inside me still raged. 'TELL HIM!' I yelled at myself internally.

"I like you Gaara!" I said, squeezing my eyes shut, not wanting to see his reaction. "I've liked you since the first day I saw you. And not just as a friend but more. I am afraid, but not of you. I am afraid that you don't feel the same way I do and that you never will."

At that moment in time, the door opened and Sakura's voice sounded, "Time's up."

I looked up and opened my eyes. Gaara's face was unreadable and I immediately felt like a fool. I ran out of there and held back a sob that threatened to escape. Never in my life had I felt like this. Never in my life had a person made me cry. I headed to the park; there was a river that ran through it and ended at a waterfall. Behind the waterfall was a hot spring that I happened to stumble onto years ago.

I managed to get behind the wall of water with minimal wetness. I shrugged off my coat and sandals and set my feet into the hot spring. Twelve minutes in hell…never again will I be able to show my face in front of anyone, especially the Kazekage.

"[Insert your name here]?" I heard my name being called and I recognized it as Temari's voice.

I heard a muffled conversation and I felt the chakras disappear. I was all alone again. I listened to the sound of the waterfall, the river, and the bubbling spring. And then I got a scare.

"[Insert your name here], can I sit with you?" I heard Gaara's quiet voice ask.

I looked up and saw Gaara standing by the entrance, his green eyes boring into my black ones; I looked away.

"Great…now I'm hallucinating…" I muttered to myself.

"[Insert your name here]," Gaara murmured, catching my attention again. "I'm not a hallucination, I'm really here."

I just stared glumly at the water. Gaara took his shoes off and sat next to me in silence. Time passed. I slowly began to realize that I was not hallucinating, primarily because Gaara's foot lightly caressed mine in the water. I just blushed and stayed silent; I was still embarrassed by my behavior in the closet.

"[Insert your name here]," Gaara broke the silence. "I know that we've barely ever talked before this, but I was also afraid."

My ears perked but I was still blushing…a lot. He sounded just as unsure as I felt. All of a sudden I felt a hand on my cheek and Gaara pulled me to face him.

"[Insert your name here], you don't need to be afraid," Gaara said softly.

He put his other hand on my opposite cheek and leaned closer to me. I closed my eyes just as our lips met in a soft kiss. The world disappeared and all that was left was me and Gaara, locked in a kiss that grew more passionate with every passing moment. Before I knew it, I was on my back and my hands were running through his hair, pulling him closer.

After what seemed like only a second longer, Gaara pulled away and looked at me with his beautiful green eyes.

"Are you still afraid?" Gaara whispered in my ear, his breath tickling my neck, teasing the nerves in my nervous system.

I had some trouble answering, but I managed to breath out, "No."

Gaara stood up quickly then helped me to my feet.

"Come with me, back to Suna," Gaara said eagerly.

"Isn't it a little too early for that?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"For the last four years I have watched you from afar. I had no social skills, and was afraid that that would push you away…so I waited," Gaara explained softly. "I am Kazekage now. I can speak to people. My demon is gone."

I thought about it…

"[Insert your name here], be my girlfriend. Come to Suna. I promise I will never betray you," Gaara vowed. "I promise to keep you happy and to always make you smile."

This mini-speech brought tears to my eyes, "Alright Gaara. I'll come with you. Temari is going to be really happy about this."

Gaara just smiled, took my hand, and led my out of the cave into the horizon, just as the sun was rising.

~Story End~

A/N: What did you think? That's not too bad for a day at the hospital is it? I did edit it a bit, grammar, spelling what not. But I would love some constructive criticism. Please review (: And I promise to try to update my current story as well. :]


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